CHAPTER 2

William looked up at the clock on the wall. It was 1 p.m. Why was his mother shouting? He was used to waking up at this time,or even more. He quickly put his underpants and went to open the door for his mother. 

"Mom,why are you shouting this beautiful morning?"

Without giving him an answer,she looked up to see who was in her son's bed. 

"Who is she ?" 

She asks. 

"Just a friend." 

Usually he rarely brought girls at his place,often it was at the hotel,but his driver didn't have this reflex. 

"Miss,I advise you to leave my house immediately or else I will call the security guard."

The tone in which she spoke made Sandy shudder.She immediately got dressed and headed for the door.The sexagenarian looked her up and down,before threatening her to never come back to her house again. 

"I'll call you, okay?"

Shouted  William at Sandy while she was already running away before suffering the wrath of the owner of the house. 

"What the hell is wrong with you, Mom? You just shamed me."

"I'm sick and tired of your reckless behavior in my house."

And it was off to a little argument between mother and son.Claire,who until then had remained silent was observing them.

"I remind you that I'm in my home too."

"I have more right to this house than you. Just last week you were in the news because you fought with someone in a bar and we had to pay restitution to the bar owner.But when the hell are you going to change? I remind you that you are no longer a child." 

"Mom, please don't start preaching again."

"From the moment you are under my roof I have the right to dictate my rules to you, either you respect them or you leave this house. And I point out to you that I'm the one who is feeding you, dressing you and ensuring all your needs while my friends children have already grandsons and theirs children are all working.Finally I acted badly, I think I spoiled you too much." 

She ended up saying in a brittle voice. 

"Mother, are you threatening me?" 

Taking a firm posture, she replies: 

"Exactly,it's a threat.I'm ashamed to keep feeding you and shelter a big 26-years -old boy. That's enough now,the water has overflowed from the mud."

William, who until then did not understand what had happened to his mother, remains speechless. 

"But mom, why are you talking to me like that?"

Monica Adams had let a lot of things goes by. Now she had lost control of the situation.She no longer had control over her son and his senseless actions.He spent all his time drinking,hanging out in all the clubs at night, fought….He led an idle life. He was not the only one to suffer, she suffered too. 

"William,you need to understand that you need to change,it pains me to see you like this.Your father and your brother will have been disappointed if they saw you in this condition."

She said,moving forward to caress his cheek. But he dodged. 

"Very good!I thought about it for a long time. I disinherit you,I prefer to share the fortune of Adams family with people who need it more than you."

William was shocked by what his mother had just said. 

"Mom, you have no right to do that. I will take you to court if you do that."

He shouted back. 

"Let's see it. All I ask of you is that you take charge of yourself. You are no longer a child. Either you prove to me that you can change or I will disinherit you."

She declares in a solemn and firm tone. Even William shuddered inside.He knew that his mother is serious when she spoke like that. 

"That's all I had to tell you.And I don't want to see you bring any of your sluts into my house again." 

With these last words,she turned on her heel and left followed by her assistant,leaving her son dazed. 

Arriving in her room,Monica Adams collapsed into her bed,pressing her hand to her chest because she felt enormous pain in this part of her anatomy.Claire rushed to her dresser to bring her, her medicine. 

"Hold on, ma'am!"

Without being begging,she swallowed the tablets in one go. 

"How are you madam?" 

She replied a"yes" with a nod. 

"Good to know.And are you sure that your plan will work?"

She asks in a low voice,in order that nobody will hear it.

"I know my son very well. He loves good life too much to leave his legacy."

"Let's cross our fingers that he really changes.You were very convincing ma'am, I didn't know that you were such a good actress."

The two started laughing. 

"Believe me,it wasn't easy,especially with his puppy-dog face.And I want you to tell to the accountant to cut up his bank cards, so he'll see that I was serious." 

"Immediately ma'am."

Suddenly,the main entrance door was closed loudly which made her jump.Monica Adams, already knew that it was her son who was leaving,it was his way of showing that he was furious. And as usual he would come back late at night drunk.

  *

"Good luck, Linda."

Wished the caretaker of her building.An old man of 70 years old. 

"Thank you so much Gaus!"

She replied to the old man,all smiling. 

Without delay,she got into the taxi she had ordered. She was a little bit stressed about her first day at work.It was her second job since she was in Beverly Hills.She had been fired from her old job as a waitress in a bar because she had slapped a guy after he squeeze her buttocks.She couldn't stand this cheesy behavior,she was not their slave. She  had had difficulty finding this one,in fact it was Gaus who helped her to find a place as a receptionist in one of the largest 5-star hotels in Beverly Hills,her son-in-law worked there as director of human resources.This old man was a sweetheart.He had always helped her.A few minutes later his taxi parked in front of the parking of her new workplace. After paying the driver,she got out and quickly looked in the window of the car before its owner drove off.She was wearing a straight orange dress.The saleswoman had assured her that she would make a good impression with it.From outside, she could see a billboards advertising the "Paradise Valley" in large font. With a quick gesture, she glanced at her watch,it was 7:50 a.m. She was on schedule.But it wasn't the right time to play tourist,she would have plenty of time to do it she said to herself within. Hastening her steps,she went inside the giant building,then inquired about a certain Mr. Martin Blake.The receptionist, a charming young man probably in his twenties,was quick to show her his office. Arriving in front of her office a few moments later,she knocked at the door once.A hoarse voice inside the office told her to come in.

"Good morning sir,I'm Linda,we spoke on the phone,do you remember?"

"Yes,my father-in-law informed me of your arrival today.Please sit down." 

Rather pleasant Linda said to herself inwardly.

She even wondered what Gaus was looking for in a shabby building like hers when he had a son-in-law who seemed rich and well-off. 

"Okay,I read your CV, even if it wasn't consistent in terms of experience,we are going to offer you a one-month trial period in our hotel.Hoping to have you among the staff."

He said,getting up to shake her hand,a sign that the deal was done.Then he called an employee to show her the locker rooms and help her in need.

Since she moved to Beverly Hills about six months ago,Linda had been accumulating successive application rejections.So by staying at home without doing anything she preferred to look for a job while waiting to get hired in a company,but she had not spoken about it to her parents for fear of making them worried.She had graduated in Tourism and Hospitality,travel and discoveries were her passion and she knew that she could not find anything in her small town,that's what which brought her to Beverly Hills. 

"This is the changing room, you can go to reception when you're done." 

Indicated her new colleague.

"Ok thanks.You can call me Linda."

"Okay,nice to meet you, it's Kyle."

"Okay Kyle,we'll meet at the front desk."

"Yes,see you later."

After he left,Linda entered the locker room. 

There was already a suit hanging on a locker for her.Quickly she wore her white and black two-piece suit and then tied her long black hair into a bun at her nape.Hurrying her steps she went to the reception so she could start working.She had to make a good impression today.Arriving at the reception, she could already see that they were busy for a morning.There were some new customers registering because it was summer. 

"Can I help?" 

She asked to the beautiful blonde who seemed to be the operator.She winced when she turned towards her. 

"Oh sorry,let me introduce myself. My name is Linda,I was just hired."

"Oh okay,I'm Suzanne m.As you can see we're overwhelmed,if you don't mind we'll get to know each other better afterwards." She told her smiling. 

"Okay,no worries. Can I help?"

"Let me see." 

Then she checked the data in the computer. 

"Yes yes,you will go see Mr. Adams in room 212 and you will tell him that we were not able to validate his payment with his bank card.It's on the fourth floor. Keep the bank card terminal with you.I hope that you know how it works."

"Of course.I'll go." 

"Thank you very much." 

Linda had no trouble finding the way to the elevators. Less than three minutes later she was already in front of room 212. After pressing the buzzer,she waited for the occupant to open the door. 

"Who is it ?" 

She heard. 

"That's is the reception that sent me,sir."

A few seconds later, she heard a "Come in!" Without waiting she turned the wrist of the door and entered.Had he not blocked the door? 

"Yes what can I do for you?"

Asked Mr. Adams  in a haughty tone. 

How unpleasant he was said Linda to herself. 

"Sorry to bother you but reception sent me to you.Your credit card doesn't work so we couldn't validate your payment." 

"What are you talking about? I used it just yesterday."

He replied defensively. Linda frowned at his behavior, but what was wrong with him? 

William had been on edge since his argument with his mother because he felt betrayed. "

"With all due respect sir, I'm just reporting a message."

Replied Linda in return without letting herself be intimidated.What annoyed William he was used to respect and submission. 

"Am I dreaming or you ogled me." 

"You know very well that I didn't do that sir." She replied while maintaining a firm stance. 

"When I speak you shut up."

Another rich guy who thought he could do everything that pleased him.She had a horror of haughty people. 

"OK sir." 

"You are new here aren't you?"

"Indeed sir."

"Everything is clear now, if you knew me I think you would have changed your attitude towards me."

What did he think? That she would throw herself at his feet or perhaps giggle because he was rich? 

"If I may speak, even if I knew who you were I wasn't going to…" 

She said, looking him straight in the eyes, she couldn't finish her sentence because she remembered her place in this hotel. 

"Go ahead,I give you permission."

"I was done talking."

"remind you that I am a VIP client,either you speak or I will report you to your superiors."

He ordered. 

"Since you insist.I wasn't going to let myself be impressed or even lick your asses.You don't scare me and I hate arrogant rich people who think that the world belonged to them."

"That's enough,I've heard enough,now get out of my sight!"

"OK sir." 

Then she left the room. 

William's ego took a hit after what this girl had said.She will regret what she had said and done.Without hesitating he grabbed the receiver and called the hotel reception. 

"Hello,it's Mr. Adams, I would like to see your director right away."